


Malice in Wonderland

by navaan



Series: Little Dream Vision Dress [2]
Category: Iron Man (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Bisexual Tony Stark, Blackmail, Canon Divergence - Iron Man Vol. 3 (1998), Coming Out, Developing Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Iron Man Vol. 3 (1998), M/M, Protective Steve Rogers, Resolved Sexual Tension, Scandal, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship, Sexual Content, Sexual Fantasy, Tony Stark in a Blue Dress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 06:24:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19371211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/pseuds/navaan
Summary: Tony had pulled himself out of the Dream Vision Wonderland that Tiberus Stone had trapped him in and — with a little help from Steve and the sheer power of his will. At least it had brought them together. Then Stone releases footage from Tony's Dream Vision “adventures” to cause more trouble and destroy Tony’s reputation.





	Malice in Wonderland

**Author's Note:**

  * For [faite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/faite/gifts).



> I wrote this sometimes in March as a birthday gift for faite and then life got between me and actually posting it. I know you already read it, and look at that I finally remembered how to post, and it’s still for you. ;) (Strictly speaking the thing that I set out to write you as a sequel that led to this and what follows is still not posted yet... but. FIRST STEP. \o/)
> 
> Sequel to [Down the Rabbit Hole and Straight to Wonderland](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14234121) with flashbacks of Tony in an Alice dress.
> 
> Thank you so much, dapperanachronism, for beta reading!

It was the third day after what Steve had decided to call “the incident” and he’d not forced Tony to talk about any of it, imagining that whatever had happened inside the Dream Vision must have been hard to deal with and accept. Tiberius Stone — Tony’s one time friend who Tony for a long time had even defended or at least not suspected of actual wrong-doing — had tried to trap Tony inside the artificial world he’d created and rip all his knowledge and secrets from him in the process. Steve hadn’t gathered all the details, but from what Jocasta had explained about the network behind Dream Vision, Tony could have lost his life if he hadn’t pulled out in time.

He had pulled out though — with a little help from Steve and the sheer power of his will.

Tony was sitting at Steve’s small breakfast table in the kitchen and was stirring his coffee with a teaspoon, staring down at the cup with the vacant expression of someone who was deep in thought — or not all here. 

After he’d seen Tony lie there in that Dream Vision pod unresponsively, the expression only stirred worry within Steve.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he said and slipped into the chair across from Tony, gently brushing his fingers against Tony’s to get his attention.

A brilliant smile was his reward. “Hey,” Tony said, “I was thinking that I can’t go on taking up all the space in your living room to run my company from here. Or what’s left of it anyway. The smear campaign Ty’s been running has done its job.”

There was an array of papers strewn across the coffee table and a variety of devices gathered on the sofa. Tony had even set up one of Steve’s old laptops and worked on making it fit his needs. 

“You’re not taking up space,” Steve said a little too quickly and squeezed Tony’s fingers reassuringly. “I took advantage of your hospitality for years and still do often enough. You can stay as long as you want.”

His own selfish need to keep Tony in sight mingled with the reassurance, but Steve hoped Tony wouldn’t notice. For the last two days they had rested here, hiding from the outside world as best as they could. Tony had checked in with his business partners to make sure things weren’t spinning out of control and Steve had kept an eye on all Avengers business, had made sure they had food and otherwise remained close by.

When Tony had first arrived here after the ordeal, they had gone to bed together. There hadn’t been much talk. Tony, clad in a borrowed t-shirt and his underwear, had climbed into bed beside Steve without protest and Steve had held him close until morning. They had kissed since then — and every single time took Steve’s breath away. 

He felt a little like a thief, regardless. 

_Would he have told me if I hadn’t walked into that Dream Vision? Would he have kissed me? Would I have kissed him? Would we still be dancing around each other, never admitting we‘re in love?_

They hadn’t done more yet than kissing — although Steve could admit in secrecy of his own mind that he wanted more, that every time Tony smiled at him, every time Steve’s t-shirt rode up a little to reveal the taut muscles of his stomach, every time Tony was lost in thought and brooding over his work papers, Steve’s thoughts started to wander to kisses and touching and pulling the shirt over Tony’s head to get at skin.

The attraction between them had always been strong, but only now that he knew he was allowed to touch was self-control becoming a problem. And he didn’t want to make Tony feel he was after his body — the way the Steves in the dream vision had been.

Tony had explained to him that these hadn’t been Steves conjured up by Tony’s mind — but had been meant to be representations of Stone molesting Tony, forcing him deeper into the dream, but that Tony’s thoughts had introduced Steve into the dream like a rogue element — threatening to pull him into the dream further, but at the same time messing up Stone’s plans. Tony had fought back by thinking about Steve.

“Don’t brood, Steve,” Tony said softly and leaned over the table to brush a kiss against his lips. “At some point I will have to leave your apartment. I wish I could just hide away here and the thought to just sell what’s left of my company and leave it be has crossed my mind more than once.”

“It has?” Steve asked and narrowed his eyes. “That’s not like you. You’re Tony Stark. You’ll rebuild and gain back the trust. It’s not the first time that you come back from someone trying to ruin you.”

Tony shrugged as if none of the past obstacles he’d overcome mattered. “It’s bad. And there’s nothing we can do about Ty.”

Steve bristled at the mention of Stone’s nickname that once Tony must have spoken with affection. He wished Tony would completely divorce himself from that Tiberius Stone that only lived in his memory. 

“You’re more angry than I am,” Tony pointed out and Steve realized he had gripped Tony’s hand tightly and was biting his lip.

“He made a whole realm to humiliate you in that way while he slowly leached on your knowledge. How can I not be angry?”

“I’m here now,” Tony said and grinned with a hint of easy flirtation. “With you.”

 _That_ was new. They’d always been close and always gravitated towards each other, but the open playfulness and acknowledgment — that was new and sexy. It made Steve want to jump right across the table to kiss Tony senseless, but…

But he needed to wait until Tony was ready for it.

Steve smiled and said: “Yes, you are. The best thing that could have come from all this.”

Tony smiled, happy, but still a little frayed around the edges. “True. I’m not yet one hundred percent sure I’m not still caught in a dream.”

Steve leaned over to kiss his cheek. “No dream. And if you don’t believe it, I’ll give you the promised shoulder rub. All the working on the sofa can’t be comfortable.”

“Not comfortable,” Tony said, “just necessary. Ty knows I’m Iron Man now. Who knows what he’ll do with that knowledge — and what else he took from my mind to throw at me.”

That Ty Stone had learned about Iron Man and Tony being one and the same wasn’t news to Steve and it did fill him with a sense of unease. “Let’s hope he’s trapped in that machine of his for a good long time.”

Tony chuckled. “I wish.” He didn’t seem to believe it. “I’ve put everyone on guard. I’ll be alerted when he re-emerges from his sleeping beauty state. I hope he dreams of uncomfortable fairy tales.”

A familiar beep alerted both of them. It was Steve’s Avengers ID that was sounding. He pulled it from his pocket. “Something wrong?”

“Small incident in your neighborhood. You might want to look at it, Avenger,” Jan’s voice said from the other side. 

“Send me the details,” Steve said and smiled at Tony ruefully. 

“An Avenger’s work is never done,” Tony said and grinned. “Want me to suit up?”

“No,” Steve said, “you stay put. You’ve earned your downtime — that you’re spending with work already.” He nodded at the set up in the living room. “I’ll be back before you notice I’ve gone out, I promise.”

Tony shrugged. “Let me know if you need me. I’ll be here.”

Steve put on the uniform and was out the apartment minutes later. Perhaps working some of his impatient energy off during a good fist fight was exactly what he needed, before he could be the patient lover to Tony again. 

The trouble turned out to be a bank robbery and there wasn’t a lot of fist fighting to be had. The shield did him good service in disarming the thugs and the appearance of Captain America did the rest. 

Police thanked him. A few reporters on the scene managed to snap pictures and before he had worked up a sweat he was already sprinting over rooftops to get back home without too much scrutiny. 

When he arrived, Tony was sitting on the sofa, leaning back in the cushions with tight expression. 

The TV was running.

“...attempted murder. My security thinks it was a paid hitman.”

Steve knew that voice. Tiberius Stone.

“What is going on?” he asked. 

“Ty has returned from the dead. He claims he was out for the last couple of days because someone tried to kill him.”

Steve nearly growled, but he didn’t want to upset Tony any more than necessary. “Has he said anything about you?”

“Not yet. But he is staging this for me, obviously.”

They sat down together to listen to the rest of the interview. Stone was insinuating he had footage that would be embarrassing for some important people, the nail in the coffin of someone already scandal ridden. 

“Me,” Tony said.

“He can’t mean Iron Man.” Steve frowned. What could he do to help? Captain America had spoken out before to make people see Tony wasn’t at fault, but it hadn‘t done any good. Would Stone try and discredit Tony even further?

“No,” Tony said with confidence, “I have a feeling Iron Man isn’t something he’ll use in that way. Iron Man has more fans than Tony Stark has right now although the scandal isn’t making him more popular. Revealing my identity won’t bring down the hero or the industrialist. It would spell trouble for me, but not the kind he wants.”

“If your enemies come after you, that’s not what he wants?”

“If an enemy takes me out, it might make me die a hero,” Tony said and grinned. He seemed less upset now that the interview was over.

“What does he have then?”

Tony’s smile was a little less sure this time. “Tony Stark in Wonderland. I accused him of recording the Dream Vision session. I think I was right. He has taped it all and he plans to use it.”

Steve silently fumed, balled his fists. That sleazy slimeball had probably hoped to get something for his own private collection. Would he have watched Tony being molested by his own projections over and over again? A dirty trophy after destroying the man he couldn’t surpass — or _own_?

“You look like you want to go out and hit someone, Steve,” Tony told him. “Not much of a fight?”

He felt a storm raging inside of him. Of course, he wanted to punch someone. Someone in particular. But Tony deserved his support and attention. “Not much of a fight,” he admitted, “but it’s that dirty liar who makes me want to punch something.”

“Aww,” Tony said and let himself fall against Steve’s side. “My knight in shining armor. That’s sweet. You don’t have to fend for me though.” 

Steve tried not to frown. He must have failed. 

“Don‘t hit him, even if you get the chance. I don‘t want to bring you down with me.”

“I won‘t. But I‘m not the kind of guy who stands by idly when his loved ones get attacked.”

“I know,” Tony whispered and hid his face in Steve‘s shoulder. “I’ll defend my own virtue as soon as I figured out how.”

Steve felt his cheeks heat up. The picture of Tony, red faced and turned on, in a pile of bodies — all with his face — came back to him. 

_If I did this to him, would he look like that for me?_

As soon as the thought had crossed his mind he wanted to take it back again. Tony was uncomfortable because Tiberius Stone wanted to use that against him in public and he had just told Steve he wanted to fend for himself. And all Steve could think about was getting into his pants like one of the same projections created by the dream vision.

Clearing his throat, Steve said, “I’ll stand by you whatever happens.” 

It sounded hollow to his own ears. But Tony snuggled closer and whispered: “And I’ll never stop marvelling about that. No wonder I made you king of my dream country.”

“The frenzied mob of Steve triplets didn’t seem very kingly to me.”

Tony chuckled. Steve felt it vibrating through his body with how close they were sitting. “Right, you only got to me when I’d fallen deep into the dream.”

“Do I want to know what that means?” He did, but didn’t want to push.

“I have a feeling everyone will know about it soon anyway.”

At that moment Steve decided to take Tony out for lunch tomorrow. Forget about all this and instead focus on the new thing between them. Be supportive and a good friend. And not think about the sex they hadn’t had yet.

* * *

The next morning the news hit with the heading, “The Secret Fantasies of Tony Stark.”

The picture was one of Tony in the blue Alice dress, caught in a pose that was obviously a man holding him down. His face was frozen in a moment of passion — but without the context Steve wasn’t sure how much of it might be distress. He felt sick to the stomach just from thinking about it. If he ever got his hands on Stone, he would punch him in the face. Not the first man he’d hit who had it coming.

Steve fumed quietly, not able to read one word of the article itself. Tony on the other hand sat down and read the whole thing with an air of calm, like it was the kind of thing you needed to be prepared for. His telephone kept ringing. He ignored it, never looking up from the paper.

“I know they want to start crisis management, but let me read this first. And switch on the TV, will you?”

Reluctantly, Steve got up to do it. Under the current circumstances he thought it was a bad idea, but he didn’t have the heart to argue with Tony at the moment. The realisation that the arms in the picture likely belonged to a dream vision representation of himself had only edged the picture more firmly into his mind — and made his anger at Tony’s humiliation complete. 

He switched on the TV and was about to leave it on an innocuous soap opera until Tony forgot about it. One look from Tony and a quirked eyebrow were enough to make him zap to a news channel. There was no news of Tony’s “escapade” but the stock exchange was already reacting in its own way.

“It’s losing you money.”

Tony looked up from the paper. “That was to be expected. Try Fox,” he advised.

Steve had tried to avoid that. But he also felt that Tony was acting much too calm about all of this. 

He zapped right into a clip of Tony _moaning_ for all the world to see.

His hackles rose first, then heat rose into his cheeks and he wanted to look away, but couldn’t. The next shot showed Tony with the blue dress riding up dangerously high, his face flushed and a hand — a muscled arm — vanishing beneath it. Steve could imagine what it was doing. His throat went dry, realizing it was _his_ arm doing those things.

“Nice,” Tony said without emotion. “Be grateful for small favors. Nobody can see it’s you. Can you believe what our friends would have said about that? I’m so sorry, Steve.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn’t choose to be trapped in the dream vision and you didn’t…”

“I did think of you and inserted you right in that fantasy.”

“It wasn’t your fantasy in the first place,” Steve pointed out and he knew he was blushing furiously. “The blue dress is a dead give-away. You said so yourself.”

“You said it was cute.”

He had said that. And he had meant it. 

He blushed hard, while on screen a commentator had started to dissect the embarrassment that was this “sex tape” and went into detail about how “sources” knew of “connections” to the Tiberius Stone “assassination attempt”.

“I like blue. Are they serious?”

Tony wasn’t going to be sidetracked. “Of course you like blue! It’s your color! Does that mean you want me to wear blue suits?”

“I don’t want you to wear anything…” he deflected, embarrassed by the way the conversation had moved away from the seriousness of the situation to… innuendo? He blamed his one track mind. 

Then Tony grinned and Steve realized _what_ he had said. “I will have to dress in _something_ for work — and as an Avenger, of course. But if you want to keep me here naked for the rest of my life, I’m game.”

Steve couldn’t help it, he was kissing Tony before he could utter another word and embarrass him more. Then he held him close. “Don’t make promises.”

“You can ask anything of me,” Tony whispered, so easily that it made heat crawl through Steve’s insides and there was the scary realization that Tony wasn’t just saying this. He meant it. 

A thousand things came up in his mind that he _could_ ask for — from naked skin to letting Steve fight Tony’s battles to making him stay here and ignoring the world. It scared even Steve to think that he was important enough in Tony’s mind to have that power. “I’m sorry I said you were cute in a dress. But you do look good in anything you wear. Armors included.”

Tony’s arms folded around his hips. “Oh, never mind that. I’m not embarrassed that someone put me in a dress and on display. I’m sorry I pulled you into it all.” He gestured to the television where the still image of Tony with the frilly white collar and cute bow in his hair was clearly framed by a man’s strong arms.

“That’s me, too? How many mes were there?” he asked so fast that he could pretend he wasn’t dying to know. 

“With the triplets? Five. But only number six acted and talked like the real deal. Because he was. And I liked that one best. He’s the one who got to take me home.”

Steve peered at the screen where a new anchor was discussing with whoever they had pulled in as an interview partner if this was the final straw that would undo Stark. In the background Tony’s face was frozen in a moment of rising pleasure. Steve felt a pang of jealousy rise in his chest and wondered if it made sense to be jealous of a projected dream that wore your face. He only knew that it _hadn’t_ been him holding Tony in that moment and that obviously it had all been meant for another man’s sadistic pleasure. 

“I don’t have a problem with men who want to be the weaker partner in bed. But should they lead a company? Should they be trusted with business? Funding a superhero? Giving money to the Avengers?”

“And there we have it,” Tony said softly.

“They don’t discuss it like it’s the Dream Vision. They seem to think…”

“Yes,” Tony said and pointed at the paper. Steve knew it was one of those that Stone owned. Insisting to start at the source of whatever story that would hit, Tony had picked it out deliberately. “They think this happened in real life and not just in Wonderland. Not that I am against a little roleplay in real life,” he added and wriggled his eyebrows at Steve. “I just prefer to have a choice in the matter. And that dress would not have been blue, if I’d had a choice.”

Steve’s eyes snapped to Tony’s face and their eyes met. He knew he was turning red because his interest must be written across his face.

“Ah,” Tony said. “That’s good to know. You _do_ like the idea.” And he grinned so wide and delighted that for a moment Steve thought he should lean in and kiss that grin right off his face again — kiss Tony until he forgot any of this was going on and just hide here with him until the scandal had blown over.

The plan was still to take Tony out on a date — or an innocent outing if that was what he’d prefer — take his mind off all that was going on. 

And Tony was looking at him expectantly as if he wanted to be kissed. 

Finally, Steve leaned in. Tony too arched forward. Their lips were nearly touching — and Tony’s phone rang, louder and with a different ringtone than before.

“Damn,” he said. 

Tony had ignored it all morning, but it seemed this one wasn’t going to be ignored. “I have to take this.”

Nodding — because he knew this was important — Steve threw a last glance at the picture of what was now captioned as “debauched billionaire” which was nicer than many of the previous captions and switched off the television. 

There was some back and forth on the phone. Tony’s voice switched back to the flat and calm tone and when he put it down he explained: “I’ll have to go. This is getting out of hand. They are contacting Ru and past lovers to get a new angle. I have to make a statement or decide if I just want to change my name and sell my company.”

“You won’t,” Steve said, angrier than ever that Stone had gone this far with his campaign against Tony. “This was all because you were trapped in the dream vision. You weren’t dressing up as Alice in Wonderland and asking to be recorded while…” He stopped, suddenly embarrassed. 

“Incredibly turned on?”

“Was it that good?” Steve bristled. His anger, tinged now with jealousy, was flowing freely and he knew he had to keep it in check. Would he be as angry if it _had_ been him in that place with Tony?

“You’re right. It was a crazy dream, Steve, and I knew it was. I wanted it to be you, but I knew it wasn’t, but the dream vision was taking all it found in my head to pull me in deeper. It was sexy — but also frustrating. I’d rather be here with you.”

His ruffled feathers settled a bit. “You do have to go?”

“I need to handle this. But I think you just gave me an idea. I need to look into how I can prove this was the dream vision and not a frisky tête-à-tête.”

“I had hoped to take you out — away from it all.”

“Let me handle this first. I’ll be back, I promise.”

Unhappily Steve nodded and got up to help Tony gather his papers, find his rumpled business suit and straighten it out a bit. He had known the days of hiding here would have come to an end — but much like the projected Steve’s a selfish part of him had hoped he could keep Tony even if just for a while.

* * *

He went to bed that night alone. And after only these few days he already missed sleeping with Tony in his arms and seeing him walk around the flat in Steve’s own shirts. 

_Get over it_ , he thought, _He was hiding here. It’s not likely he’s going to give up his Seattle Villa or posh penthouses to live in your apartment. If this relationship is to work out long term, then we’ll have to find ways to spend time with each other wherever the other works right now. Would he be willing to come to New York again? Be with the Avengers long-term?_

He fell asleep, pulled into a dream of Tony looking up at him with undisguised lust and no hints of unease in it. Waking up alone was more uncomfortable than ever.

* * *

“You might want to be there. But if not, take this as a sort of warning that Ty called for a press conference. In New York. I’ve been personally invited to face my public humiliation.”

“Where are you?” 

“New York. I still own an office here, after all. Who knows for how long?” 

Steve could clearly hear that Tony was typing while they were talking. The man was working again. In its own way, that was comforting. Despite his grim jokes about losing or giving up everything he owned that Tony seemed to be making with a deceptive ease and lightness that Steve found unnerving, a working Tony Stark wasn’t beaten at all. Steve had seen it before — the way Tony had come back from ruin or re-invented his company to work its way back to the top. And if he was busy, then that meant he was working on that comeback.

“If you go to the press conference here in New York, I can be there. Moral support?”

Tony paused. “I’m not sure you’ll like it. No side will play nice and my legal team is briefing me about all the ins and outs of it right now.”

He didn’t say: _I want you there_ or _I miss you._

He didn’t say: _Stay away!_

Steve mulled that over quietly, before saying: “I’ll be there.” 

“My legal team advises nobody punch the opposing party. They have this weird opinion that it might look bad.” 

“Noted,” he acknowledged and felt lighter at hearing the dry humor. “Can I protect you if _he_ throws the first punch?” 

“I do have a capable, experienced bodyguard who got me through life this far, but I won’t pass up the chance to be saved by you, Cap,” Tony said. “Always appreciated.” 

Steve was glad to note the playfulness creep in. The flirtatious implication that he’d show how grateful he’d be after being saved was more than Steve’s wishful thinking this time. That too helped to put some of his fears to rest. “You have something planned,” he concluded.

“Ace up my sleeve. Always.”

“I suspect that’s why you’re talking to legal?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Won’t be boring then?”

There was a long pause at the other end. The typing stopped. By the time Steve had become uncomfortable about the silence, Tony cleared his throat and said: “Nothing’s ever boring, but… It’s not the first time I’m trying this with someone who knows me well, but it feels — different? You know me. The real me. All of me. It’s so different now it’s you.” 

Without Tony having to say more, Steve understood. For a long time Steve hadn’t dared cross the line from friends into more, because he had feared how it would change the relationship. You didn’t try for better when you had something good, because you might find that you destroyed a good thing. Their friendship had always been a good thing to him — the most important thing perhaps. They had disagreed and argued and come close to cutting bonds and that had been painful and upsetting. They’d come back from it and here they were — _finally_.

“Never boring with you,” Steve said his voice so low it would just be a soft whisper over the line.

“That I can guarantee,” Tony whispered back. “Never boring with you either.”

It was as good as an admission of “I missed you” in Steve’s ears.

* * *

Steve did make sure he was at the venue of the press conference in time. He had no credentials or press card, but he’d worked with spies for most of his life now and knew how to get into places where he wasn’t supposed to be. 

Tony hadn’t called again.

Steve hoped that was because he was busy with preparing the aces up his sleeves that he’d mentioned. He was here to give support in any case and he was ready to whisk Tony away if he had to.

The smear campaign had been going on for months now. One Viastone owned rag had titled “Pervert and Murderer?” this morning — again retreading the claims that Tony, Iron Man and someone called Trevor Donahue, a business man well-known for his unscrupulous business practices, were involved in the death Mark Scarlotti, who had been the villain known as Whiplash. Tony had even filed a report with the Avengers about it and Steve knew that the episode tied into something more complicated that Tony at the time been reluctant to talk about — but murder? No. There was no doubt in Steve’s mind that this was another piece in the orchestration of the storm someone had called up around Tony and Iron Man to bring them down in public opinion.

All the recent press stories had, were speculations created by focusing on some facts over others. And for a time that had worked. Tony himself had admitted that he had played into Viastone’s hands — and that those of Tiberius Stone — because he hadn’t looked beyond his old friendship with Stone. 

But not any longer…

Steve pulled down the baseball cap he’d chosen for the occasion. He had picked out a pair of jeans and a button down shirt that he was wearing under a green track jacket that he left open. The slightly baggy look it gave him, helped disguise his broad shoulders and height.

Keeping an eye on the cord he kept to a corner. A long table had been set up for all the potential speakers. Stone was already standing behind the table, smiling winningly at the crowd of reporters. 

“I think we can start,” he finally said, “even though Tony has failed to show his face. We’ll let that speak for itself.”

Silently bristling, Steve reached for his cell phone, checking if he’d received any messages and noted that they were starting early. Another deliberate move by Stone. But it was unlike Tony to be later if it wasn’t for a good reason — usually Iron Man related reasons.

He checked his Avengers ID, but there was no sign of an emergency. Where was Tony?

A red head in another corner of the room caught his eye and he recognized her instantly, despite her hair having been pulled into a bun and glasses obscuring her face. Pepper Potts, Tony’s former assistant and current business partner, was here.

Then Tony couldn’t be far.

“There have been many questions about how my company Viastone acquired the sex tape showing Tony in these compromising situations with another man. As the owner of the company it’s of high interest to me to make sure everyone who works for any of our media divisions knows we’re following the highest standards.”

Steve bit his lip.

“We will not disclose the sources that led to the initial report in the Telegraph. We have sat down with everyone researching the story though and have made sure that this is legit.”

One reporter had his hand up already and one of the aids pointed at him to indicate he could ask his question: “Mr. Stone, what about the allegations that there was an attempt on your life? Is there a connection?”

Steve didn’t need to be an expert to know this was staged to get the ball rolling right away. 

An aid, a young woman in a business suit, stepped forward with a bunch of papers in hand to speak to Stone and then said into his mic: “During a scheduled security test run of the dream vision on Thursday Mr. Stone was trapped inside the machine. Outside influence is the only possible explanation. Someone tried to hack into the mainframe. We have shared all relevant information with authorities to make sure this case gets solved quickly. We want all users of dream vision facilities to know that it’s absolutely safe to do so.”

While she was talking, behind Stone some new scenes from what had been dubbed Tony’s sex tape sprang up.

“We think someone was trying to leech information from our Viastone servers, targeting the footage you see here.”

The reporter asked: “So you do not think it was an act of revenge against Mr. Stone in person?”

“We cannot confirm it at this time,” the young woman said and stepped back to give Stone the opportunity to take his place again.

Balling his fists, Steve made another step back into the corner. He really couldn’t listen to much more of this. 

_Where’s Tony?_

He hadn’t so much as finished the thought yet, when the footage stopped — the screen went blank, changed, the speakers in the room made an uncomfortable scratching sound followed by a loud beep that hurt. Stone jumped up to look for what was wrong and suddenly there was different footage there of Iron Man standing in an office room looking like he had run a mile.

Stones’ voice said: “But see? This is even better. I'm going to get whatever I want from you now anyway. We're going to have so much fun.”

The armor bled away and left Tony standing there in a blue Alice dress that the media had mocked for a whole day already. Stone’s voice was saying: “In fact, Tony, I can keep you here as long as I want. Let's make it worth my while to keep you alive, okay?”

“Funny, Ty! What do you even want?”

“I want all you have,” a Cheshire Cat with Stones voice and features continued from above Tony’s head. “I want all you _are_. It’s a bit sad that the Dream Vision will likely fry your brain when I take everything you have right now in that oh so smart head of yours by force. Shame really. It would be nice to keep you in here forever, Tony. Let you dance to my tune. I could come to visit you, too.”

Stunned silence had settled over the room and the doors were pushed open, showing Tony in a black business suit. At his side was Happy Hogan, and a man who had the feel of “agent” written all over him, beside them four men and women Steve hadn’t seen before. But when they stepped fully into the room he though one of them was Trevor Donahue, who he knew had been Stone’s mentor and had recently approached Tony about his involvement in all this. 

Only then did Steve notice the Iron Man armor walking a few paces behind the group. 

Good, with the beginning of the footage there he had thought Tony’s identity had been revealed. But Tony had planned it from all angles again. Iron Man was here,

Tony, stepped forward, and waved a remote control at Stone in a mockery of the Dream Vision scene where his old friend had conjured up a remote control to send Tony deeper into the VR-dream projection. 

“Do you want me to jump to the part where you tell me you want me to be your sweet pet or the part where you send me a lecherous Mad Hatter who looks like you? _Or_ do you want me to go back to the part before that — where you tell me what happened to your parents?” His voice was as loud as Stone’s although he wasn’t wearing a visible microphone. The little bit of genius engineer showmanship made Steve smile.

“None of this is real!” Stone cried, not as calm now that his script had gone out of the window. He had also visibly paled. “You think anyone will believe you?”

“That,” Tony said and pointed at the man in a suit and sunglasses behind him, “I will leave to the FBI to figure out.”

“The FBI?” one of the reporters closer to Tony asked loudly. “What is going on, Mr. Stark?”

The man in the suit and coat stepped forward and held up his ID. “After three high profile members of the business community came forward with allegations of blackmail after their use of Dream Vision, Viastone is officially under investigation since today.”

Steve wasn’t sure how, but Tony found him with his eyes and smiled wanly, letting Steve know that this was only the beginning. This wasn’t over; this hadn’t completely turned around yet; the smear campaign had done its damage to Tony’s reputation already. But now Tony had something to throw back and he was about to find his footing.

“Mr. Stark, you’re saying all this happened in Dream Vision? This is not a sex tape? This isn’t _your_ fantasy? How do you want to prove that? Is this an attempt to downplay the incident because you’re embarrassed?”

Tony nodded at the agent who stepped towards the table, ready to take over the press conference and took a place beside him — Iron Man firmly planted behind him to say into microphone as if he needed it: “It won’t be up to me to prove it. The FBI has searched Viacom headquarters in New York and San Francisco this morning. The have found the full dream vision session stored on a private server. I will leave it to them to investigate how it got there.”

His statement was followed by murmuring. Anyone could see that Tony was talking like someone who believed himself in a strong position.

“Like I said before,” Tony continued, “This _isn’t_ my fantasy and this was not a tape of something that happened in real life. None of it was my choice. Am I enraged that I got trapped in an uncomfortable VR-fantasyland of the NC-17 rated kind so someone could tap into business secrets and engineering knowledge? What does it look like?“ Tony’s eyes flashed, but he didn’t allow himself to blow up. He tried to step away from the mic.

Towards the end a young male reporter stood and addressed Tony directly: “Dream Vision or not, the pictures are out there. How do you feel about that? Is it an embarrassment to you to have been shown in a compromising position with a male partner?”

From his vantage point Steve couldn’t identify the person, but there was a good chance that he was with Viastone. There were some snickers, but to Steve’s relief the rest of the room remained quiet. The idea that this was a delicious scandal to be exploited had given way to the slow uncovering of an uncomfortable criminal case right underneath it and the tension that had settled in was very different now. 

With a calm business-like smile, Tony said: “Embarrassed, yes. Right? Look at the dress. Blue is obviously not my color.” A surprised chuckle went through the crowd. But Tony wasn’t finished. His eyes met Steve’s and he held them as he continued: “Oh, that it’s a man is what you take issue with? The partner I would have been pleased with, if he had been the real deal and we’d both had a chance to consent.”

Voices roared. Arms went up. Suddenly everyone had new questions.

Tony just shook his head and stepped away from the mic before the next hand could be raised. For a moment, every new reporter was trying to direct questions at Tony. There was a barrage of personal questions — past lovers, sexual preferences, _dresses_. But Tony remained firmly planted in the background making sure he stood as close to Iron Man as possible.

Steve was still smiling to himself. He knew that Tony would be the talk of every yellow rag for months to come, but he also knew that part of this declaration had been for him.

The rest of the press conference went by quickly. Stone and his team of advisers left as soon as the FBI disclosed minimal details about searches of company and private property and implied that more searches were happening as they were speaking. It was comical to watch the whole entourage flee the scene, when the general tone of the press conference had actually calmed now. 

Tony remained in the background and left the stage to the people he’d brought, standing beside Iron Man as if he was in need of protection. Only Steve and Pepper knew that Tony Stark didn’t need a bodyguard to be safe — not Iron Man and not his shield slinging boyfriend.

And that was what he was now, wasn’t he? Tony Stark’s shield-slinging and overprotective boyfriend, who with the rest of the room had been shown that Tony could fight his own fights.

When the press conference winded down, Steve slipped from the room and made his way up to the roof. Using the empty armor to make it look like Iron Man was flying him away from the scene, Tony arrived minutes later. Steve decided to smile to take the sting from his words, before he said: “You could have told me what you were up to.”

“I wanted to solve this in my own way. Different kind of bad mouthing now, and some of the dirt Ty slew my way will stick whatever happens. That’s just the way it is. But I deleted part of the footage and scrambled some bits. It’s unlikely that the whole footage can be uncovered now. So at least nobody will see who I… _fantasized_ about, and your secret identity is safe too. I wonder if Ty remembers? The part with Captain America walking in was corrupted already when I looked at his back-ups, but who knows? Best I can tell is that’s gone. We must have struck him a real blow when we fought back. Anyway, you’re safe. Nobody will hear about Captain America’s many faces in my lewd fantasies… You still have the chance to get out of this mess before you’re in too deep.”

“I’m in too deep. I was when I came for you, you idiot. You were worried about my secret? You practically played a scene that gave away you’re Iron Man!”

“In a fantasy of another man that also involved sexual harassment. A little distraction’s all that it takes.”

“It’s the first time you call it that, harassment, Tony. Have you noticed? I was worried to bring it up, but… I’d understand if you…”

Tony kissed him. Hard. The sweet insistence reminded Steve of the kiss they’d shared in the Dream Vision — before Tony had realized Steve was the real deal. He’d still been living a fantasy then…

“Wow,” he said, when Tony pulled away. “I was wondering when you’d kiss me like that in real life.”

“It was real life. It was me taking back control. That was very, very real and important to me,” Tony shot back, his cheeks turning a little pink. It was an unexpectedly bashful look on the face of someone who was otherwise so open with his sexuality. “Is that why you haven’t made a move yet? Because I kissed a Cap that I thought wasn’t real?”

“Move?”

A hint of embarrassment crept into Tony’s body language. After he’d been so unapologetic and uncowed about anything thrown his way today, it stood out. “You know,” — Tony gestured between them — “to go further than…”

“I thought you weren’t ready yet,” Steve interjected. “Because of what happened in the Dream Vision and… you weren’t making any moves either!”

They stared at each other.

“Oh,” Tony said, studying Steve with a look of puzzlement.

“I thought you were uncomfortable. After what you've been through,” Steve admitted. “I found you in a pile of… me.”

Over the years, Steve had seen Tony in many uncomfortable situations. He was thinking about the man whose secret identity had been revealed to Steve and the rest of the present Avengers when his armor had been taken away, leaving him in nothing but the flimsy red strip of the thong he’d been wearing. Steve remembered how hard it had been too look away then — even after Tony had been passed a jacket to wrap around his waist. 

He had never seen Tony making out in public, had never seen him being touched and threatened like he’d been in the Dream Vision.

And he’d never seen him squirm.

Not like he was right now.

“I’m glad I was desperately trying to stay alive or you would have walked in on…” he trailed off. “Secret fantasies coming true.”

His mouth was open to tell Tony, it was alright. They were okay. There was no need to be embarrassed — then it all sunk in. He remembered the three Steve’s fighting for their right to keep Tony, crazed with their need to get their hands on him, tearing at his clothes... He licked his lips, his throat having gone dry as a dessert suddenly. “I see,” he finally said, aware that Tony’s gaze had honed in on his lips. “I can’t provide twin brothers. But there might be other fantasies I can help with.”

Tony chuckled, breathless and needy — less embarrassed, as Steve realized now, than turned on. 

“Let’s go home,” Tony suggested and stepped back into the armor, holding out his arm to Steve. To Steve’s delight he found himself back in his apartment. Before he’d been pulled into SHIELD business and being his own man again, “home” had for a long time been defined by where the Avengers were — where Iron Man, where _Tony_ was..

Perhaps that had always gone both ways?

Steve was ready to find out.

Even more now that Tony leaned in to kiss him, his hands going to the buttons of Steve’s shirt before Steve had time to even decide on a course of action. “I had a date all planned out,” Steve whispered against Tony’s lips. 

“You can have all the dates,” Tony moaned and threw his head back to give Steve access to his throat, his shirt already falling to the floor, Steve’s not far behind. “When I’m ready to leave this apartment again. Next winter maybe…”

Steve agreed with the sentiment and pounced, toppling both of them down onto the bed. He caught himself, careful not to crush Tony with his weight. It was all turning heated so quickly. Tony kissed him. Had anyone ever kissed him like this? 

“I want all the dates,” he nearly growled, looking down at Tony, grasping him by one wrist to hold him. “And when you’re ready, I want everyone to know that you’re with me — that you’re mine.”

“God,” Tony shivered, and for an uncomfortable, breathless second, Steve thought he might have come on too strong, but then Tony licked his lips and said with shining eyes: “Show me. Show me that I’m yours.”

“God,” he groaned, as if he was echoing Tony’s words, shivering now with the violence of his own arousal. “Don’t say things if you don’t mean them.”

“I mean it,” Tony said. “Come on. Hold me down, make me yours. Take me hard…” 

He had to slip a hand over Tony’s mouth to stop the stream of dirty talk. But his other hand was already busy pushing Tony’s legs apart, to find his cock and pump it. “Don’t complain if I never let you go,” he warned.

Unable to speak, Tony bucked against him, letting Steve feel how wanted the show of strength was right now. Tony’s tongue slid suggestively along the inside of his palm.

It went right to Steve’s cock and he groaned, flipping Tony around, who whelped. “Ah, please,” he moaned.

Steve’s hands started kneading his buttocks. “You like this,” he said, surprised when Tony started moving his hips, rutting against the bed. 

“Yes, god, yes, Steve, come on.”

He sank down on Tony, his cock sipping between Tony’s strong thighs. His own need had been growing, but he knew he wasn’t patient enough to prepare Tony properly. Not with how long he’d forced himself to patience. 

Tony reached for the nightstand to pick up some lotion. 

Steve nearly ripped the container in half, before he got some on his hands to smear it between Tony thighs. 

“Come on, Steve, please. Rub off on me. I need to know you want me… that this is no dream” Tony begged and it broke the last bit of control as Steve gave in to his own selfish need, working himself between Tony’s thighs until the pleasure rose into pain, fell together with the emotional turmoil that had been brewing and promised final consummation and relief now.

He crushed Tony with his weight, grasped at him until fingerprints were on his hips his wrists. He left a bite mark on the shoulder blade, while Tony moaned and begged into the bedspread, moving with him willing and aroused. Finally Steve remembered to reach under Tony again to get his hand on his erection and work him in time with his own mounting need.

Later, both sated and snuggling close, their bodies touching skin to skin, Tony whispered, “Before Trevor let me know about the kind of business practices that he taught Ty, I had considered walking in there in a tasteful dress. Something that’s more my style than the Alice cosplay.”

Steve’s mind came up with a sleek gala dress and had to swallow against the thickness in his throat to ask, “Red Silk?”

“You bet.” 

He tightened his arms around Tony. “I’d like to see that,” he admitted, still not sure his interest in that regard was welcome.

Tony said nothing for a while. Then he nodded. “Deal.”

The heat that rose in Steve’s cheeks now had nothing to do with embarrassment and all to do with anticipation.

“Ah,” Tony said and chuckled, “I see we’re ready for round two. As far as my fantasies go, you don’t disappoint, Captain America.”

Steve made sure that with the next kiss and the next touches Tony knew this wasn’t just a dream — this was the real deal. And Steve would never let him forget it again.


End file.
